Words of Advice from a Military Kid Who’s Been There, Done That and Got WAY More Than a T-Shirt! Kenzie Hall, Operation Homefront’s 2014 Army Military Child of the Year and founder of Brat Pack 11 for military kids, joins us to celebrate military kids with a special blog in April, Month of the Military … Continued
By John Pray, President & Chief Executive Officer Brig. Gen. (ret.), USAF It’s exciting to be able to see into the future. I had this rare opportunity when I had the privilege of spending time with seven exceptional military teens this week as we honored our Military Child of the Year ® recipients at our … Continued
Jackson Beatty, 2017 Marine Corps Military Child of the Year® Award, has spent his entire youth overcoming adversity and making a difference. When asked what trait he hoped someone would think of when describing him, Jackson writes, “I would hope they would pick my determination. Through all the hardships of my life I have never … Continued
For Jamal Braxton, 2017 Military Child of the Year® Award recipient for the U.S. Air Force, and future U. S. Air Force Academy Class of 2021 cadet, is always ready for a challenge . It begins with an unshakeable belief that there is always something that can be done, whether through service to others or … Continued
Molly Frey faces her fears with fervor. Our 2017 National Guard Military Child of the Year said she first felt the impact of being a military kid when her dad, Senior Master Sergeant Kim Frey (ret), deployed to Iraq for the first time. “This growing sadness and worry I developed was very difficult to explain to … Continued
At the age of 11, Sophie Bernstein asked her parents to start a garden. Her parents, Navy Reserves Capt. Brad Bernstein and Moira Bernstein, initially dismissed the request. Perhaps they thought the work of planting, weeding and harvesting would ultimately fall on them. Or maybe they envisioned a sad overgrown mess, due to neglect. But … Continued
Scholar. Mentor. World Class Athlete. There does not appear to be much that Mary Kate Cooper cannot do when she sets her mind to it. She embodies a “can-do” spirit that not only propels her towards excellence but lifts the spirits of those around her “One thing I learned in life is you cannot control … Continued
It would not surprise anyone who knows Alexander McGrath that his favorite quote is from the late Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis: “In a democracy, the most important office is the office of citizen.” Alexander, our Military Child of the Year ® 2017 for the U.S. Navy shares why this quote motivates him. “This quote … Continued
Henderson Heussner arrived in Florida under circumstances that were less than ideal. His father, Col. Todd Heussner, had just deployed to Afghanistan He was leaving behind Colorado, a place he loved and all of his friends behind. And the move was motivated by obligation and compassion – Henderson and his family needed to take care … Continued
April is the Month of the Military Child. There are very real challenges for children of our military families. Frequent moves uproot them and more changes than just the house they live in. New friends, new teachers, new requirements, sometimes new language. A deployment can bring stress and worry over the safety of those they … Continued
